The present invention relates to an image-processing system, an image-processing method and a product of image-processing program.
Conventionally, there has been known a digital camera which can store a photographic image while relating a decorative frame for decorating the image at the time of printing or displaying on a screen thereto. At the time of storing a photographic image while relating a decorative frame thereto, such a digital camera stores in a removable memory the photographic image, the image representing the decorative frame, and data for relating these images together. In a case where an image-processing system capable of interpreting a relation between a decorative frame and a photographic image performs collective, continuous printing of photographic images stored in a removable memory as described above, the image-processing system provides a print preview of a photographic image related to a decorative frame merged with the decorative frame; and provides a print preview of only a photographic image which is not related to a decorative frame. (See WO03/85510 brochure).
Meanwhile, the user can cause a printer or an image-processing system with a display to display only a photographic image without merging the photographic image and a decorative frame previously associated with the photographic image, by means of changing data pertaining to a relation between a decorative frame and a photographic image.
However, in a conventional image-processing system, a relation between a photographic image and a decorative image cannot be changed in a mode for setting output processing of photographic images. For instance, in a setting mode for performing continuous printing of all the photographic images stored in the removable memory in a so-called stand-alone-type printer to which a removable memory can be connected, the user can set the number of copies to be printed, a paper size, and the like, of the photographic images; however, the relation between a photographic image and a decorative frame cannot be changed. In addition, in, e.g., a setting mode for a slide show of a digital camera, or the like, a display time for a single image, and the like, can be set; however, the relation between a photographic image and a decorative frame cannot be changed. Accordingly, conventionally, in a case where printing, or the like, of a photographic image is to be performed after the relation between the photographic image and a decorative frame has been changed, setting operation must be performed in a setting mode for display processing, such as printing, and in another setting mode other than the setting mode, whereby operations are complicated.
In a case where a plurality of template files are present, when a relation between an image file and a template file has been established in advance, establishment of the relation every time printing is obviated, thereby providing convenience. For instance, when an identifier of a template file to be related thereto is to be stored in an image file, at a time of selection of an image file, the related template file can be specified uniquely by means of acquiring the identifier from the selected image file.
However, when an identifier of a template file is stored in an image file, in a case where, e.g., an attempt is made to display a list of file names of image files to which template files are related, all the image files must be opened so as to discriminate whether or not an identifier is included therein. In general, since file-opening processing is time-consuming, when the number of image files is large, a user must wait for a long time until the list is displayed.